Hi all,
Your thought on a project. My normal ride is a street glide. I picked up a 87 sportster 883. Just got it together and did a quick paint job on it. I was going to do a bobber but started adding up the parts cost. It might be cheaper to buy someone else's unfinished project. This got me thinking about a café racer. Any thoughts on the Ryca café racer kit?

 

You asking US to spend YOUR money for ya?! Well let me see.......

 

Not the most comfy, but I like the cafe style.

 

A mix of both would be Ideal. IMO.

 

I too like the cafe style (but bobbers are cool as well). Cafe isn't nearly as popular with HDs which is part of why I like the style. But then again, like Johnny B says, a mix of both might be an idea. Btw, one of the very sharpest Sportsters I've ever seen was an Ironhead setup as a 'Cal Rayborn' (RIP) era road racer with the large 'long track fuel tank and tail section (the fairing might have the smaller version tho?).

 

Go Cafe, I'm in the middle of a cafe build (plus 5 others after this is done). Got to do it.

Ryca kit is a half a$$ attempt at a cafe racer IMO, too short on the rear etc, etc.

 

Not a fan of the ryca kit, looks funky to me. I don't think sportsters look right when people try to go for a traditional cafe look on them, the lines just never really flow right. The best, to me, are always the fine line mix of cafe and bobber for the sportys. Little bit of everything somehow looks right to me lol

 

A few that look right to me (or close)

 

Plainly a man of taste! The top one is actually in a Norton featherbed frame and I suspect the third and fourth ones are in aftermarket frames. All jolly fine cafe racers indeed. Here's your very own Lance Weil, who used to race a Sportster over here in the UK back in the '60s and '70s, when the 'cafe racer' was king!

 

I guess that I am crazy, plumb nuts , and loony, but I really like it just like it sits right now in your pic.